Title: Hecatomb
Author: Forsaken2003
Pairing: I/J
Rating: R
Disclaimer: I own none, all belong to Russell T. Davis
Comments: Always welcomed!
Summary: Jack tells Ianto about Gray.
Warnings/Spoilers: Season 2 Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Beta'd by: Unbeta'd

Prompt #425 from tamingthemuse- Hecatomb

Note: From now on most of my tamingthemuse stories will be named as the challenge.

Jack had been distracted for the last three days. Ever since the night John Hart left. He had mentioned something about finding some gray. Ianto, Gwen, Tosh and Owen had no idea what it meant but by the color leaving Jack's face he knew exactly what it meant. Of course the next three days Gwen pestered Jack into telling her what was gray. She asked him if it was a person or a place but he gave her no answers. Just like when she'd ask him where he'd been the last few months.

"Kids, why don't you call it a night?" Jack said from just outside his office. "Go do something fun."

Owen was the first one out of the Hub. Maybe he'd find a girl to warm his bed for the night.

As Tosh closed some programs Gwen stood up. "Are you sure, Jack? I could stick around. I still have some reports to finish up."

"I'm sure, Gwen. Head home to Rhys. Maybe you can work on some of those wedding plans of yours," Jack said with a smile. "You can finish the reports tomorrow."

With a disappointed nod Gwen and Tosh left together. Gwen would just have to ask Jack about Gray and the last few months tomorrow.

Jack looked around and saw that Ianto was nowhere to be seen. He clicked his comm. "Ianto? Are you still here?"

Ianto came back two seconds later. "Yes, sir, do you need something?"

"Just you in my office if you aren't busy," Jack replied sounding hopeful.

There was a longer pause. "I'll be up in two minutes."

Jack heard a click and knew Ianto had started his stopwatch. "Thank you." He went back to his office and grabbed a bottle of Scotch and two glasses. Jack made himself comfortable in his chair and waited for Ianto to join him.

Exactly two minutes later Ianto walked into Jack's office. He'd lost his jacket somewhere along the way. He raised an eyebrow when he saw the Scotch on the desk. Though the others thought Jack was an experienced drinker he only really drank when something was wrong. "Is there a problem, sir?"

"Jack. Please call me Jack," Jack said as he poured the liquor. "I need to talk to you. I want to tell you about Gray."

Ianto sat across from Jack and accepted the glass. "You don't have to, Jack."

"I know. But I want to. I need to."

"I don't understand why me. I mean I assumed you'd talk to Gwen," Ianto replied and took a tender sip of the Scotch. He wasn't much of a drinker but he didn't think Jack would appreciate drinking alone right now.

Jack sighed. "I am well aware that Gwen wants to know. She wants to know a lot of things. Tosh and Owen don't ask but I can see their curiosity. And then there is you."

Ianto got nervous. "Me, sir…Jack?"

"Yes. I want to tell you because you don't harass me into telling you things. You don't question me constantly. I feel like you would be the one out of the team that wouldn't judge me," Jack explained. He picked up his glass and swallowed the liquor in one go before pouring himself another.

"I've learned after the incident with Lis… the cyberwoman that you are the one to make the tough choices. You always will be. I understand that now," Ianto said. He leaned over and took Jack's hand. "What's wrong, Jack? Is it about what John said before he left?"

Jack shuttered and squeezed Ianto's hand. "Boeshane Peninsula. My home in the 51st Century." He saw Ianto's eyes widen at that. Apparently Ianto didn't know everything. "We lived under the threat of invasion. "They came without warning. We thought they'd pass over us, like they always did." Jack paused. "But they didn't. Not that day," Jack whispered.

"Who?" Ianto asked.

Jack looked into Ianto's eyes. "The most horrible creatures you could possibly imagine. Worse than Daleks or Cybermen. I remember people running in a panic. My father ran up to me with Gray… my younger brother."

"Your brother? You have a brother?" Ianto asked completely taken of guard. He had expected Gray to be an old flame.

Jack didn't answer. "My father told me to take Gray and run. To keep him safe. I remember grabbing my dad's sleeve and begging him to come with us but he had to go get mom. I was so scared. I wanted him to come with us. To protect us. But I did as I was told. So I grabbed Gray's hand and we started to run." Jack became more upset by the minute. "One minute I was holding his hand. I found refuge in some tree roots. I don't know when he let go." Tears burned Jack's eyes. He drank some more Scotch. "I came out of my hiding spot and screamed his name. I ran back the way we had come and everyone was gone… dead. They slaughtered so many people for no reason."

"Hecatomb," Ianto said. He felt sick to his stomach. The thought of what young Jack had to deal with hurt Ianto.

"I retraced my steps, hoping that I'd see him again. I ran all the way home." Jack wiped his eyes. He never let anyone see him cry.

Ianto stood up and walked around the deck and knelt down beside Jack. "Jack, what did you find?" Honestly Ianto didn't want to know but Jack obviously needed to tell his story and he'd chosen Ianto to share it with. Ianto only hoped that it would help Jack and not hurt him.

Jack covered his face with his hands. "When I arrived I found my father dead. He was shot in the chest. I never found my mom. I don't know if she got away. I searched for Gray for years. I never found the body."

"It wasn't your fault, cariad," Ianto said. He knew that wouldn't make it Jack feel any better but it was the truth.

Jack became upset. "I let go of his hand! It was the worst day of my life. It's the last thing I ever
wanted to remember." He stood up causing Ianto to lose his balance and topple over. Jack didn't seem to notice. "My brother has been alive all this time and I just stopped looking! I gave up on my own brother!"

Ianto pulled himself up and grabbed Jack forcing him to face him. "Jack, I'm so sorry. No one should have to go through that. But you have to look at the bigger picture. Your brother is alive! You can find him now. You have all of Torchwood's resources. We will all help you look if you want. We will find him."

"Do you think we could really find him?" Jack asked with uncertainty. He realized his hands were shaking and clenched them close.

"Of course we can. We're bloody Torchwood Three! The best of the bloody best!" Ianto said confidently. "You just say the word and we will spend every second we don't have to save the world from ending looking for Gray."

Jack gripped Ianto's neck and pressed their foreheads together. "Let's find my brother." He kissed Ianto. "We'll start first thing in the morning. We'll fill the others in on what's going on. Tonight though…" He pulled Ianto's tie loose. "Tonight all I want is you. Can I have that?" Jack asked his lips millimeters from Ianto's.

Ianto could feel Jack's breath on his lips. He took a deep breath and Jack's scent surrounded him. There was only one thing he could do. Ianto pressed his lips against Jack's. "Always."

The End